Trump announces sending Patriot missiles to Ukraine
16 July 10:25
US President Donald Trump said that missiles for the Patriot air defense system are already being shipped to Ukraine. He said this in a conversation with journalists, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports citing Yahoo.
According to the American president, the missiles are being shipped to Ukraine from Germany, which will then replace them for itself by restocking.
“And in all cases, the United States receives full compensation. […] NATO will reimburse us for everything. In some cases, we will receive money directly from EU countries. We always get our money back in full,” Trump said.
The information came as part of a discussion of arms supplies to the allies. Trump clarified that the supplies are made through Germany, which, in turn, will take care of replacing the shipped units. According to him, the United States always receives full compensation.
The President also emphasized that financial support will be provided mainly by the European Union or NATO countries. He noted that these funds would either come directly from European states or be compensated through NATO mechanisms.
What is known about the suspension of arms supplies
Reasons for the pause
– The US Department of Defense initiated a review of supplies due to the depletion of its own arsenals – especially Patriot, Stinger, shells and other high-tech munitions.
– The Pentagon justified this as an “America First” measure, focusing on protecting its own military capabilities, particularly in the event of conflicts in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Volumes and Types of Seized Weapons
– Paused: Patriot interceptor missiles, GMLRS, Stinger, Hellfire, 155 mm artillery shells, AIM-7, etc
– The general halt affected the supply of military equipment that did not reach Ukraine, including those still in transit.
Political motivations
– The Trump administration attributes the halt to its strategy: reconsidering peace, pressuring Kyiv to negotiate and the need for peace guarantees before continuing supplies.
– At the same time, the “pause” party is actively criticized both in the United States (senators, the Pentagon) and in Ukraine because of the threat of escalating Russian attacks.
Implications for Ukraine
– The Pause Party has launched an information campaign emphasizing the intensification of Russian missile and drone strikes that can aggressively target civilian infrastructure.
– Analysts warn that without Patriot interceptors, the number of casualties, air defense gaps, and the vulnerability of critical facilities will increase.
The situation is changing
– After President Trump’s conversations with Zelensky and Putin, the United States announced that it was resuming some supplies, including Patriot missiles (10) and other defense assistance.
– At the same time, Washington expects its allies to step up as well: Germany, Italy, and Denmark have already delivered or are ready to deliver air defense systems.
The pause in deliveries was caused by both internal US strategic considerations (preservation of arsenals, pressure on Kyiv) and external circumstances (active conflicts in the world). This underscores Ukraine’s critical need for its own air defense system and strengthens the role of EU partners in supporting Kyiv’s defense.
